Constituent course in GIS and knowledge base for selected environmental regulations

E2022

Bæredygtig Omstilling (TekSam) / Environmental Science

Course

English

Læs mere om uddannelsen og find din studieordning på ruc.dk

Read about the Master Programme and find the Study Regulations at ruc.dk

Du skal tilmelde dig på stads i tilmeldingsperioden, som du kan se på intra

Når du tilmelder dig studieaktiviteter, skal du være opmærksom på, om undervisning og eksamen i de forskellige studieaktiviteter er på samme tidspunkt. RUC planlægger studieaktiviteter sådan at der ikke er overlap, hvis du følger dit anbefalede studieforløb. I forhold til valgfrie elementer og studieplaner, som afviger fra det anbefalede studieforløb, kan der dog forekomme overlap, alt efter hvilke kurser du vælger.

Sign up for study activities at STADS Online Student Service within the announced registration period, as you can see on the Study administration homepage.

When signing up for study activities, please be aware of potential conflicts between study activities or exam dates. The planning of activities at Roskilde University is based on the recommended study programs which do not overlap. However, if you choose optional courses and/or study plans that goes beyond the recommended study programs, an overlap of lectures or exam dates may occur depending on which courses you choose.

5

Esbern Holmes (holmes@ruc.dk)
Henrik Hauggaard-Nielsen (hnie@ruc.dk)

Bente Kjærgård (bkj@ruc.dk)

Henrik Haugaard-Nielsen

Gry Lyngsie

Esbern Holmes

IMT Studyadministration (imt-studyadministration@ruc.dk)

U60013

he course focuses on current issues associated to natural resources in the open country and environmental assessments prior to decisions that may significantly affect the environment. Emphasis is on the knowledge base, the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) and, the key factors for obtaining good quality in the knowledge base for decision makers and for building policy and regulation on a quantitative base. The course has three dimensions:

1. Planning tools and the knowledge base for regulation
2. Climate-oriented regulation
3. The interplay between knowledge base and politics

The course focuses on current issues associated to natural resources in the open country and environmental assessments prior to decisions that may significantly affect the environment. Emphasis is on the knowledge base and the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) for policymaking based on, or informed by, rigorously established objective evidence. Thus, building policy and regulation on a quantitative base. The course has three dimensions:

1. Planning tools and the knowledge base for regulation
2. Climate-oriented regulation
3. The interplay between knowledge base and politics

The course literature is linked to each individual course and planned according to the stated expected work effort. Reading instructions and access to the written material will be made available on moodle.

The course is 5 ECTS, corresponding to 135 hours of work for each student. An approximate distribution is:

• preparation of lectures: 3 hours per lecture

• participation in lectures: 2 hours per lecture.

• preparation for lab activities: 2 hours

• participation in lab activities: 2 hours

• Exercises and feedback to fellow students 24 hours.

• Final exam paper: 21 hours

The course depends on a high degree of participant involvement, which requires extensive preparation in order to meet the desired learning goals. From the above it appears approx. 64 hours of independent work, 50 hours of written exercises, presentations, and feedback to fellow students. 21 hours for exams.

Learning activities:

• In the lectures, we will focus on the knowledge base of environmental assessments prior to policymaker decisions and interventions to mitigate the course of specific environmental problems.

• Each lecture is supplemented with a lab activity where the students work directly with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in order to understand how existing geodata can be used to represent relevant spatial knowledge potentially qualifying the decisions taken.

During the course different forms of evaluation and feedback is used in combination with home assignments. The students are expected to: i) contribute to a living learning environment during lectures and labs; ii) participate in feedback on each other's assignments to support cooperative learning, and iii) present in plenum primary results from assignments and plenary discussions

A final oral evaluation of the entire course is held, and all students are expected to complete an electronic individual evaluation.

Each lecture (Level 1) is supported by a GIS lab (level 2)

1. Introduction to how geodata represents spatial knowledge

• 1.1. Introduction to geodata and how it is handled in GIS

2. Knowledge base and data base

• 2.1. Description of an area basis on the existing environmental data

3. Dissemination of the digital representation of the physical space

• 3.1. Use of basic layout and symbols to design a synoptic presentation

4. Socio-economic assessment of environmental projects

• 4.1. Performing key calculations around spatial data represented.

5. Pollution and effects on the socio-ecological system

• 5.1. Evaluate existing data availability for effects descriptions in relation to the wishes and needs of different actors

6. Land use and biodiversity relationships

• 6.1. Picturing changed land use and re-establishment of historic and new habitats

7. Land use, land use change and forestry

• 7.1. Obtain and analyse data from satellite-based observation platforms

8. Climate footprint and land use in connection with mega-trends in human food consumption

• 8.1. Changed crop selection and environmental effects

9. Public authorities' work with environmental assessments, why and how

• 9.1. Different methods of collecting spatial data from citizens

10. Workshop with selected topics, primary conclusions, visualization (part of exam assessment)

11. Final debate on knowledge base and political processes for decision making

Knowledge, skills and competences

• can establish an overview of and assess the relevance of central spatial data collections within selected environmental areas: climate, energy, industry and waste, transport, agriculture and food, nature, and biodiversity

• can identify, select, and present data for supporting decisions on selected environmental challenges

• can select, apply, and reflect on the scope of GIS methods, models and data as well as assess the knowledge base for regulation

• can collect and navigate spatial data collections and extract and present new knowledge

• can assess interactions between spatial knowledge, political institutions and opportunities to steer towards policy objectives

• can select, organize and analyze spatial data as decision support for regulatory efforts

Oral group exam based on a product written by a group

Permitted group size: 2-4 students.

The character limit of the written product is:
For 2 students: 9,600-19,200 characters, including spaces.
For 3 students: 16,800-21,600 characters, including spaces.
For 4 students: 24,000-28,800 characters, including spaces.
The character limits include the cover, table of contents, bibliography, figures and other illustrations, but exclude any appendices.

Time allowed for exam including time used for assessment is for:
2 students: 30 minutes.
3 students: 40 minutes.
4 students: 50 minutes.

The assessment is individual and based on the student's individual performance.
The assessment is an overall assessment of the written product(s) and the subsequent oral examination..

Permitted support and preparation materials at the oral exam: All.

Assessment: 7-point grading scale.
Moderation: Internal co-assessor.

Samme som ordinær eksamen / same form as ordinary exam

Oral group exam based on written products prepared by the participating in the lab activities. Based on specific courses and lab activities four peergrade assignments are performed, of which the students can choose to hand in three for the exam. This could be an impact on the digital knowledge representation of a subject area. For instance: i) Carbon sequestration and groundwater; ii) Pollution and effects on the socio-ecological system; iii) Nature lacks space; iv) Changed land use practices to meet human diet shifts In addition to the peergrade assignments the students fill in a logbook writing approximately half a page with main learning points from the individual course and lab exercises. A compilation of the logbook notes are also submitted and used for the exam in principal including the entire course syllabus.

The assessment criteria: • The ability to select and apply as well as reflect on the range of methods, models and data bases as a knowledge base for regulation within selected areas. • The ability to identify roles and opportunities for action for relevant knowledge institutions, involved parties and societal actors for specific selected regulatory areas • The ability to collect and navigate in spatial data collections and extract and present new knowledge from here • The ability to recommend relevant knowledge base for societal institutions regarding regulation of selected problem areas • The ability to assess interactions between knowledge, political institutions and opportunities to steer towards political objectives

In addition, the student have to meet all formal requirements regarding active, regular and satisfactory participation, which involves participation in 70% of the course sessions as well as participation in the activities associated with the course. If the student does not meet the attendance requirement, the re-examination for this constitutes a written assignment based on given questions with a scope of a minimum of 21,600 number of characters and a maximum of 43,200 number of characters incl. spaces. The scope requirements include any front page, table of contents, bibliography, figures, and other illustrations, but excluding any appendices.